April 2008

Wednesday, April 30 - Crystal Hudson shares her new perspective on riding the Metro.

Unfortunate circumstances have found my car on an auction block – where its fate will be left in the hands of auto dealers, mechanics and the like to bid on the remaining salvageable parts – and me on the Metro, which has been nothing less than an experience.

While I’ve never been one of those ‘public transportation snobs’ that refuse to ride on any form of public transportation no matter how convenient it may be, I will say that casual, infrequent rides on the Metro differ greatly from relying on it for daily transportation needs (that include traveling during non-peak hours and weekends). One more week of brisk walks to catch the 8:05am train that has yet to arrive at 8:05am and I should receive a formal welcome letter from Metro, stating that my initiation period is over!

I hope they include a Metro Etiquette handbook in my welcome package, so I know how to handle myself in certain situations. Or maybe there’s a seasoned Metro rider out there than can answer a few questions for me:

1. Exactly how much space should you allow between yourself and the person entering/exiting the turnstile before you? (Because I’ve already had a few near-collisions when my SmarTrip card isn’t read on the first scan.)

2. On the escalators, its stand to the right and walk to the left, correct? So what do you do when a group of people are standing still on both the right and left sides of the escalator, and you want to walk?

3. For those without reading material, is there a suggested direction or spot one should stare at? (This is, of course, considering that eye contact with perfect strangers is awkward and therefore not preferred.)

4. What’s the selection process when choosing an empty seat in a sea of empty seats (i.e. should personal preference be taken into consideration when choosing between window or aisle; facing forward or backward; etc.)?

5. When it’s standing room only, how many finger-widths should I allow between my hand and the next hand above/below mine?

If you can offer some answers to my questions, or if you own a Metro Etiquette handbook that I can borrow, please contact me at Mailbag@WashMystics.com. Thanks!

Tuesday, April 29 - Linda Hargrove checks in.

Hey All ...

OK, it is that time of year that I love and hate. I love the energy that young players bring to camp. They work hard, they communicate, are so talented and basically are just really great kids. I love them. Then I have to burst their bubble, destroy their dreams. I hate this part. As much as I try to not get emotionally involved and really get to know them, it is hard for me. I love kids with passion, dreams and work ethic. We have had all that and more in our training camp players. Yesterday I had to waive a few of them and it is really difficult.

But we are beginning to get some of our vets back and that is great as well. Nakia and TJ joined us today and it was good seeing them on the court. The coaches have such a challenge when they have to re-teach stuff every day that new players join our camp. It is so hard to build on a base with players coming to camp each day. Crystal Langhorne came in yesterday, Nakia and TJ today and tomorrow we will have Taj and Coco. We will take our training camp to Tampa for a few days before playing Sacramento in a preseason game on May 5th. When we get back to DC we should have Alana, Monique and Laurie available and right now plan to bring in Chandi Jones from the French league in for a look. So that means more cuts when we get back to DC. Players who have looked good in camp must really elevate their play when the vets start coming back in to show that they belong.

I have to give a big shout out to the staff at Trinity University. Not only do they have a beautiful facility, they are just so easy to work with. We pretty much invade their premises for 10 days and Becky, Jamie and Chad just take care of us. We change practice times and they adjust. We need to use the pool, they make it available, whatever it takes. I hope they realize what a vital part of our team they are. Thanks, guys.

OK, I have to admit, I was not a big fan of playing the Radio game at 8:00 in the morning. My fear with this kind of event is an injury that would affect our team and ultimately the season. But the guys at DC 101 were great. They weren’t very good, but they were gracious losers and I do believe that we made a different market aware of our product. I guess they will have to talk (in a positive light) about the Mystics throughout the season. I don’t think people fully appreciate how strong, fast and agile our players are until you are actually on the court with them.

See you in a gym,

Linda

Monday, April 28 - Maria Giovannetti talks sibling rivalry and the addition of Taj McWilliams-Franklin to the Mystics.

Greetings blog fans! Every Sunday I play pick up basketball at the Georgetown Law School. My brother recently moved back to the area and made a guest appearance at open gym this Sunday. We have been playing sports since we could walk and there has never been a game “just for the fun of it.” We are the best of friends (only 16 months apart) but, by nature, we are both very competitive. On Sunday we matched up against each other and it was a battle for bragging rights...until the next game. Needless to say, the game was intense and he ended up having to leave the game because of a bloody nose...sorry bro! :)

I'd like to extend a big welcome to the newest member of the Mystics family, Taj McWilliams Franklin. Growing up in Richmond, Taj was my favorite player when she played in the ABL for the Richmond Rage. I loved her intensity and leadership on the floor. I'm looking forward to seeing her passion for the game and her tremendous work ethic come to life in Washington, DC!

I’ve been very impressed as I’ve met some of the new faces in training camp this year. Veterans and rookies alike, this is a great group of women working very hard and challenging each other everyday in practice.

If you haven’t noticed on the website, the countdown to opening day is on…27 days! If you have not already purchased your tickets, what are you waiting for?!? If you already have your tickets, thank you and please invite your friends and family to join you!

Friday, April 25 - Monique Currie looks forward to coming home and joining her teammates in training camp.

I knew I started my countdown to come home too early! Here it is more than a month since I started and I’m still in Russia! The anticipation to get back home is even stronger since training camp has started! Slowly but surely we are all easing our way back into the city and heading to camp. I know that (Nikki) Blue is back and TJ and Kia are on their way back so they will be holding it down until the rest of us return. The season is right around the corner, and with such a short time for training camp it’s important to get there as soon as possible. This is where you learn all the plays and more importantly this is the time that you build team chemistry. Hopefully in the next week or so I will be back in D.C, in camp, getting ready for the season. The summer is really my favorite time of the year for so many reasons. First of all, it’s the season of the WNBA, and secondly I get to be at home with friends and family. Being overseas eight months is tough, but when you have to come back to the states and go to another city you’re still away from your friends and family. I’m lucky enough to have it all in one place and everyday that I drive from my house to the Verizon center I thank God that he put me here…along with the Mystics organization.

Ok, change of subject. Right now I’m watching Cheaters on television and this show is definitely one of my favorites. If you don’t know about the show Cheaters it’s a reality show where people who suspect their loved ones of infidelity hire private detectives to investigate. The detectives document everything so we are able to see on camera what is going on. They even record phone conversations and some people agree to have hidden cameras placed in their homes. The absolute best part of the show is the confrontation where the detectives reveal to the person that their mate is in fact cheating and that they know where that person is and who they are with. They sneak up on the culprit and catch them in the act! People have the funniest reactions when they are caught red handed! Some people run away from the cameras, which is hilarious, some people try and take the attention off of them and call the other person crazy for having detectives follow them around, and very few just admit that what they were doing is wrong and are ready to deal with the consequences. Either way, if you find yourself tempted to step out on your partner and sneak around, just think, cameras might be following you around and you might be on national TV caught cheating!!! If you do, please don’t run, at least just cover your head like people do when they are arrested. Just some friendly advice! Hope to see you all soon at a Mystics game!

Mo

Thursday, April 24 - Greg Bibb checks in.

To say it has been a busy and interesting week in the world of the Washington Mystics is an understatement. Here are my thoughts on all of our recent happenings, including our big trade with the Los Angeles Sparks and our “historic” game vs. the DC 101 FM Elliot in the Morning Show.

Trade Winds

Only time will tell if our trade earlier this week will prove to be a good one; however, I firmly believe we took a big step forward on Tuesday. In moving Delisha Milton Jones we lost a player who is one of the best in the business at what she does. She’s an all-star performer, an Olympian, and a former champion. Unfortunately, her ability and resume really were irrelevant to our decision. Delisha had openly stated she no longer wanted to be a part of our organization. From my perspective, when a player has these types of feelings, the only thing to do is go our separate ways. It simply isn’t fair to the other players on the team, our organization as whole, and most importantly, our fans to try to compete in the ultra-competitive WNBA with players who simply don’t want to represent Washington.

Therefore, it became a question of what can we do as an organization to make Delisha happy and at the same time protect our organization and receive value back for an all-star caliber player. Needless to say, I’m thrilled with the end result.

In Taj McWilliams-Franklin we get a multi-time all-star and a savvy veteran who will provide leadership. Most importantly, we are getting the ultimate competitor who is excited about wearing the Mystics uniform. If you haven’t seen her play, I think you are really going to like what she brings to our team.

In addition, we received the Sparks’ first round draft pick in 2009. This pick will allow us to continue to build a team that will not only compete this season, but one that will continue to build upon one of the most exciting and talented young corps of players in the WNBA.

We wish Delisha well and thank her for her contributions in Washington. Now, it’s time for a new chapter, one co-authored by the 2008 Mystics and Taj McWilliams-Franklin. Kudos to Linda Hargrove and the basketball operations department for completing a deal which I believe will turn out to be a positive move for both LA and Washington.

Training Camp Update

After months of planning and preparation, training camp opened on Sunday. Currently, we have 13 players in town and Nikki Blue’s arrival on Wednesday marked the first of our vets to report to camp. While we wait for the majority of our returning players to complete their overseas playing commitments, we’ll have the opportunity to take a good look at some draftees and training camp hopefuls. So far, training sessions have been upbeat and competitive. I like what I see from our coaching staff and the sound of the bouncing ball is true music to my ears!

Game Time

As I write this blog on Wednesday night, the Mystics are preparing for our big game against the DC 101 FM Elliot in the Morning Show. This “friendly” is scheduled for Thursday morning at the Comcast Center on the campus of the University of Maryland. Tip-off (can you call it that if the opposition can’t jump as high as your tallest player?) is set for 8am. If we win, Elliot pledges to talk about the Mystics all season long. If they win, we’ll raise an Elliot in the Morning banner to the rafters here at Verizon Center. For those trying to forecast the outcome, here’s a hint: the Verizon Center folks aren’t exactly busy looking for a banner space. If you can’t make it out to the Comcast Center, tune into DC 101 FM as the game will be broadcast live.

Thank You

I wanted to extend a big thank you to Renee Redwood and Holli Holliday who hosted a season ticket holder influencer event for the Mystics on Monday night. We had a great time mingling with the guests and talking about the upcoming season. Mystics forward Bernice Mosby joined us as well. I look forward to seeing everyone who was in attendance at a Mystics game this season. Thanks Renee and Holli!

Grandparent Weekend

Adelyn continued her busy schedule this past weekend. On Saturday, Grandpa Rod, Grandma Joby, and Uncle Conner came to visit. Adelyn then headed to PA on Sunday to celebrate Cousin Brandon’s third birthday while spending time with my parents, Jim and Carol. I know I say it all the time, but Tara and I feel very fortunate to live close to our family. Providing Adelyn with the opportunity to spend so much time with so many different relatives, particularly the grandparents, is priceless.

Website of the Week

It’s not glamorous, but if you suffer from allergies, particularly this time of year when the pollen count is rising, visit www.pollen.com. Here you can get timely, accurate information regarding all types of allergies. There’s even a glossary of information to provide you with more data than you could ever need regarding one of Mother Nature’s less friendly elements. After visiting www.pollen.com, you’ll know exactly where and when things may be “stuffy” and you’ll be able to plan accordingly. Check it out…it’s nothing to sneeze at (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

Quote of the Week

“Life is like a flowing river of opportunities. It’s up to you whether you stand with a bucket or a spoon.”

Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

• Good luck to the Wizards in game three of the team’s playoff series with Cleveland.

• Speaking of NBA playoffs, the Utah Jazz will enter Thursday’s game vs. Houston with a 2-0 lead in their opening round playoff series. Games three and four are in Utah where the Jazz have proven to be one of the best home court teams in the NBA.

• Who would have thought by the third week of April the Florida Marlins would have a better record than the Detroit Tigers? As of Wednesday, the Fish were an NL East best 12-8 while Detroit was an AL Central worst 8-13.

• Congrats to the Caps on an outstanding season. The future is bright for this group of young, talented hockey players. Get your 2008-09 season tickets now…there will be plenty of sell-outs at Verizon Center next hockey year.

The Mystics selected someone I didn’t think we would have a chance at getting in Crystal Langhorne. I was at the Draft Party inside the Greene Turtle and for those in attendance that were not WNBA fans, we sure got their attention when the crowd erupted at the selection of Langhorne. As I have described in previous blogs, Langhorne is going to be a great player. She instantly is one of the best power forwards in the East in my opinion, despite what people say about her size. She has the quickest spin move of any post player in the league and with the weapons she has around her, she will take advantage of single defenders all season long. Our fans are excited and will continue to be excited when they see how well she finishes around the rim and how well she works the boards at 6’2. The entire University of Maryland should be at our Opening Night because it is going to be loud and crazy when Langhorne’s name is called.

So, my girl Alana Beard is going to tear it up this year as she has done in years past. With the low post presence of Langhorne and our newest addition, Taj McWilliams-Franklin (WELCOME), we will be the rebounding team that Coach Rollins is looking for in 2008. You can expect more second chance points this year and with Monique Currie and Alana coming off screens around the perimeter, opponents don’t want to give us a second chance. Speaking of Monique Currie, I think this is a season that she has been asking for since she was drafted. She has been with three teams in two years and last year came into a tough situation, being traded for fan favorite Chasity Melvin and replacing a starter turned Assistant Coach in Crystal Robinson. Still, keep in mind that buzzer beater that she hit against Connecticut that almost sent us to the 2007 Playoffs, because you will see more of that this season. Monique Currie is one of the top three most talented small forwards in the East and can (and will be) one of the best at her position in the WNBA if called upon.

With Alana Beard’s quick first step, ability to hit from beyond the arc, join me at the hip defense and breakdown defender ability, opponents have enough to worry about. Still with Currie slashing and finishing and Langhorne causing havoc for opponents who are too slow to keep up, look out for Nakia Sanford and Nikki Blue to take advantage of their opportunities. Nikki Blue can create shots for her teammates and hit the opens ones when opponents go to help or test her perimeter game. Sanford is a hard worker as all Mystics fans know and relentlessly goes after loose balls and rebounds. She will get her chance on the offensive glass. McWilliams-Franklin is a smart veteran with the ability to grab boards and a host of low post moves that only playing in the league awhile will teach you. She is like a wizard around the rim who always has the right spell the get the job done.

Coco Miller will be that spark off the bench that just hits the mid-range shot every time. So the Mystics will be much improved and D.C. has a lot to look forward to while the excitement of the Maryland Terps has traveled down Route 1 in the form of Crystal Langhorne. Wins will pile up in nation’s capital. Life is good!

Thanks, Mystics fans, hopefully I will get a chance to see all your faces at the Verizon Center on Opening Night. This year is built to be something special, so get your tickets and start BELIEVING!

Tuesday, April 22 - Linda Hargrove checks in.

Hey All ...

Training camp has begun and things are really crazy. We started with physicals on Sunday morning and then had three hours of practice at Trinity University on Sunday afternoon. You could tell that some of the players were really nervous about being in their first WNBA training camp but soon the jitters left and they just started to play basketball. I was impressed with how quickly they picked up what the coaches were teaching. We will be adding new players over the next week as some are just getting back from overseas and some of our regulars will begin to trickle back in to camp. I’m really ready to get some of our REAL Mystics back in DC. I’ve missed them.

We had a successful try-out camp and have signed two players, Sarah Jo Lawrence from GW and Rashida Suber from Coppin State from that camp for our training camp. We also have another local player in camp, Andrea Gardner who played at Howard a few years ago. Nikki Blue gets back to DC from Greece today and will be the first Mystic player to be in training camp this year. She will begin tomorrow and it will be good to see her. There is no substitute for experience.

The move to our new office space has been successful and except for still not having a working fax machine things have gone pretty smoothly. The space is really beautiful, spacious and all ours. That is the best part, just having a space that is exclusively the Mystics. Thank you so much Sheila Johnson.

This is just one of my very favorite times of the year. Training camp has just started, the Caps and the Wizards are both in the play-offs, the days and nights are getting consistently warmer and expectations are just so high for a great season. Yesterday I was watching training camp, it was raining hard outside and I thought there is no where else I would want to be right now. I think that we are in for a real treat this season and we will get a first glimpse into how we will measure up when we play Sacramento on May 5 in Tampa.

It has been pretty impressive the way our young players have performed with the National team in Beijing. Rookies Sylvia Fowles, Candice Wiggins, Laura Harper and our own Crystal Langhorne have done very well for the good ole USA. It feels good to say ‘our own’ Crystal Langhorne. I think she will have a great career with the Mystics and am anxious for her to join us in camp.

See you in the gym,

Linda

Monday, April 21 - Ketsia Colimon talks about her nephew, Sam.

For the past few months, my friends, co-workers and even total strangers have heard me talk about the impending birth of my nephew. Well, I am overjoyed to share with all of you that baby Sam has joined our family, perfectly healthy with the required ten fingers and toes. Since Sam was going to be a C-section baby, I kindly asked my family to check in with me periodically throughout the day and to send me pictures the moment they get a good look at him. I mean with technology these days, I didn’t think it was an outrageous request. It was the perfect event to test those camera phones we all love so much. Well, THINK AGAIN. These people, my family, were just about the most frustrating group I had to deal with. It’s not everyday that I become an aunt and with the distance, I would have thought they would have been more sensitive to my feelings but they were not. When they finally sent pictures, there were all of these obstructions; I couldn’t see the kid’s face, they were not very clear. At one point, they did not even answer my phone calls. I just wanted to share the moment with them!

Fast forward to last weekend, when I was finally able to meet Sam, I must say he was the leanest baby I have ever seen (My mother hates when I call him tiny or small, but he is). I was petrified to hold him. He is so fragile and weighs next to nothing. Sam came in weighing a little over seven pounds and none of his clothes fit, everything has to be rolled up. His feet are the cutest things I have ever seen. He absolutely melted my heart. Still, I drew the line at changing diapers. I mean the cooing over his bathroom habits was a bit much for me. The kid would do his business and people would rave about it. No maam, sitting this one out. There was a funny moment, where I decided that I would help my mom change his diaper and I got baptize. You figure it out. My mom said it was good luck, but who knows. All I know is that I was wet.

I have now become what I used to despise. I talk about him ALL the time. I know that he gained a pound last week (does anybody care), he has added ½ an inch to his height (well good for him), he is now waking up every 4 hours instead of 3 (Ok and that means??). I am that girl. I have refrained from sharing pictures but I wonder how long that is going to last. A good number of my friends have children and I used to hit delete when I saw another picture of little Marie or Johnny come through the inbox. I would like to take this time to apologize to all of them and hope that they are more gracious to me than I was to them. Here is a picture of Sam (the only one, I promise)

K

Friday, April 18 - Alana Beard chimes in on the upcoming “game” between the team and the Elliot in the Morning crew.

Hey hey hey! Hope all is well and that you all are getting ready for the Mystics upcoming season! I am so excited…I don’t think you all understand!!! I’m excited about the team and the new additions, first, with our new assistant Coach Jessie Kenlaw (Funny Story: I was talking to one of my teammates the other day and we were talking about Coach Kenlaw. She asked if I have ever met her and I was like yea, she’s awesome, why? My teammate proceeded to say, “man, she looks mean, im scared of her, chute, but I can’t wait to start working with her.” Hahahaha, I am sure everyone can guess who that teammate was, if not, here is a hint: as we were flying to Detroit last season, this teammate turned to ask another teammate if we were flying over the Atlantic Ocean when we were clearly over Lake Michigan!!). Secondly, I am excited about our three draft picks. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to watch Lindsay and Krystal, but I have had the pleasure of watching Crystal Langhorne. Can we say balla :-)!!!!?? I had no doubt whatsoever that management was going to make an awesome decision. Lets get it started!

So, before I left to play in Poland I started hearing all this talk about the Mystics playing a “friendly” game against the Elliot in the Morning show crew. This all came about because some fat, out of shape, always the last to get picked as a child, wanna-be basketball players claimed one morning on their talk show that they could beat any women’s professional basketball team in a game!!! Can you believe this malarkey? They honestly think they have a chance!!! It perplexes me that they believe in their hearts and minds that it’s possible. I am sorry guys, but I think you’ve been watching too many NBA commercials and have gotten caught up in the “this is where the impossible happens” or something. Anyway, so this non-sense went on for days and finally I got word of it, so they decided to have me on their show. I went on the air with them, of course, calm, cool, and collected, got a whiff of the competition…let’s just say, ladies don’t even bother coming to the gym that day…you can beat them in your sleep. From what I saw, we have men oh and one woman (who bailed out on the them the moment I walked in) that will never make it across half court. We have one guy who does the sound effects and graduated from Georgetown that looks like Charlie Brown. Then you have Elliot that thinks that he is God gift to basketball…. hmmmm, can we say in another life, MAYBE!! Then you have, ummm, yea, they don’t even deserve mention. The only reason I mentioned the other two is to assure you that I am not lying about the fact that there will be a game played. The game will be at the Comcast Center on Thursday, April 24th at 8:00 a.m. Someone better take pictures!!!

Like, they are dead serious about this game and really truly think they can win!! Elliot in the morning called me Wednesday in Poland to continue their segment of trash talking. All the way in Poland!!!!!!!! They are crazy, but a lot of fun! Elliot mentioned that they have these “rocking” uniforms that I should just be excited about seeing! We shall see I guess. I can’t wait to hear the radio broadcast of them giving women the RESPECT that they deserve. Yes, we are women, but you should all respect your opponent. Basketball is basketball, whether it’s a male or female playing. “Anything you can do we can do better!” Wait, no, lets change that just for you Elliot…anything you think you can do, we already know we can do it better! . When the Mystics win, tune in to DC 101.1 throughout the season to hear crazy coverage on Mystics.

Can’t wait to see all of you in May. Until then be good and get those season tickets. DC is where BELIEVING happens!!!!!

Thursday, April 17 - Greg Bibb checks in.

Wow, what a week for warm temperatures, blue skies and thoughts of summer! We are just three days away from the start of training camp and we all have WNBA basketball on our minds here in Mystics land. Here are some other thoughts on this 17th day of April, 2008.

District Digs

It has been a crazy few days for the Mystics organization as we have officially made the transition into our new Verizon Center office space. I’m really proud at how smoothly the big move went when you consider the number people and amount of “stuff” that made the trip across the Potomac. I wanted to recognize Mystics Office Administrator Sheila Robinson who led us through this transition. I also wanted to thank our teammates within the Capitals organization who helped us tremendously during our year-long stay in Arlington while also making sure our move went as seamlessly as possible. We look forward to welcoming everyone into our new space on the third floor of the Verizon Center during the coming months.

New Hire

I’m pleased to welcome Michael Ragan to our staff as the team’s new Senior Director of Ticket Sales and Service. Mike joins us from the Washington Nationals where he led the ball club’s inside sales department. A native of the greater Washington, D.C. area, Mike has also spent time with the Florida Panthers, Washington Redskins and Washington Capitals. Mike starts with the team on Monday, April 21. Be sure to stop and say hello the next time you visit at Verizon Center.

Strength In Numbers

Mike’s arrival allows us to strengthen our ticket sales and service department by creating an innovative role within our organization which will focus on specific areas of the ticket sales process. These include: specialty ticket plan development (examples include the coach’s club and small business package), theme night sales integration, and a proactive sales marketing initiative. Current Mystics staffer Dana Simonelli has been tabbed for this new role and will transition into her title of Director of Ticket Marketing and Promotions beginning on Monday. I believe Dana’s new position will provide the Mystics with the most innovative, fan-friendly, customer-oriented ticket staff in the WNBA.

Mystics Sell-A-Thon Results

It’s been a couple of weeks now, but I wanted to mention the results of our first annual sell-a-thon because, in short, they were amazing. We sold well over 300 new full season tickets during the one-day event, which was an awesome outcome for our team. A big thank you to all of the Caps staffers who participated and helped us exceed our goal.

Ball Skills

I’m happy to report Adelyn has become quite a play companion. Much to her father’s delight, she can now stop a rolling ball and then roll it back to me. We work on both the left and the right hand as switch hitters, and ambidextrous individuals in general, are at a premium in sports today. Most importantly, she really seems to enjoy playing ball with daddy as the giggles and smiles are always flowing. Practice time is limited, however, as mom interrupts us for trivial things such as eating, sleeping and diaper changes. Still, not bad progress for an eight-month old.

Open Tryouts

On Wednesday, the Mystics held open tryouts at our official training site, Trinity University. We welcomed nearly 100 players to the event and I was personally impressed by the ability, determination and effort of those who participated. Of course, this day is just another sign that the start of the season is right around the corner.

Game On!

Just a reminder, the Mystics will be playing a friendly b-ball game against our friends from the Elliot in the Morning Show on DC 101 FM next Thursday. The game will be held at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center. Tip is (yawn) 8:00 am. Admission is free. We hope to see you there as we provide the good folks from the radio station with a lesson in just how to play the game of basketball.

Website of the Week

This week’s featured site is located at Etchy.org. If you are old enough to have played with an Etch A Sketch as a child, then you will surely enjoy this site. If your not, check it out…not everything worthwhile needs to be plugged in or takes batteries. Enjoy!

Quote of the Week

“There are no limits. There are only plateaus and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

• Our volunteer sales force, the Mystics MVPs, has sold 110 season tickets! This group is now 32 members strong and growing!

• A belated congrats to Kansas and Tennessee for winning the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball championships.

• The Caps may be down two games to one in the club’s first round playoff series vs. Philly, but this team will find a way to persevere. Write it down.

• The NFL released the 2008 schedule the other day and my beloved Steelers have been given the hardest slate in the League for the upcoming campaign. All I can say to that is ...bring it on!

• Tip-off for game one of the 2008 season is just 30 days away…can you believe it?

Go Mystics!

Tuesday, April 15 - Linda Hargrove shares her thoughts on this year’s draft.

Hey all...

Well, it is over. This was really a difficult draft to prepare for given some uncertainties with our team. Bernice and GG are rehabbing serious knee surgeries during the off season. After shoulder surgery, Alana is now playing in Poland and appears to be on the road to recovery but we haven’t seen her in several weeks. DeLisha has not signed her contract yet and her future with the Mystics is very uncertain. All of these situations played into the decisions that were made on April 9th. We believe that Crystal Langhorne will be a very good player with the Mystics. Many people question her size and the fact that she doesn’t have much of a game away from the basket. These are all concerns that we have as well, but the bottom line is that she just continues, year after year, to be efficient, score and rebound. And not just at the highest level in the NCAA but internationally. She is currently preparing to represent the USA in Beijing next week in a prelude to the Olympics. Practicing every day against Lisa Leslie and other top posts will help her prepare for our camp. Drafting Lindsey Pluimer will give us the chance to evaluate a totally different power forward. Lindsey is mostly a 6’4” face up player with 3 point range. Krystal Vaughn impressed everyone at the pre draft camp. She is another 4/3 who plays extremely hard and will be working hard to impress the staff.

Tomorrow we will be conducting our try-out camp. Crystal Robinson has been working hard to put this camp together and has several local players from Maryland, Coppin State and GW participating. This camp gives players a chance to be evaluated by the Mystics staff and the goal of each player is to get an invitation to training camp beginning on Sunday. It should be really competitive.

Training camp will begin with only a few regulars from the 2008 Mystics. Most of our roster is still playing overseas and will be unavailable until their seasons are completed. This is always a difficult time for us as teaching is the focus but much of the teaching is done with players that ultimately won’t make our roster. The good thing is that free agents will get a very good evaluation and head start on their teammates. A few players in our camp have been on other teams in the past and are looking for an opportunity to get back in the league or didn’t get drafted this year and want an opportunity. It should be really competitive.

The next couple of weeks will be really intense. We moved into our new office space today, have our try-out camp tomorrow, begin training camp on Sunday, play the radio station in a morning scrimmage next week, head to Tampa at the end of the month for a portion of our training camp and overall just work hard to put the best product possible on the floor of the Verizon Center. I can’t wait.

See you in a gym...

Linda

Monday, April 14 - Nicole Boden talks about her upcoming moves and the joys of living in Washington, D.C.

It's finally here. The moment we've all been waiting for. Well, some more so than others. After months of waiting and anticipating, the Mystics front office staff is moving to our new offices in the Verizon Center tomorrow. I don't think there's another person in the office more excited about our office move than I am.

I must begin by saying that it's not as if we don't have a wonderful, beautiful home here in Arlington, Virginia with the Capitals, because we do. It's just that I live in DC and well to be honest, I hate to commute. Some would say I have a little bit of road rage so fighting traffic on 395 south every morning to make it to work on time hasn't always been the best experience.

With the Mystics moving back downtown I hope that it will take me between 5-10 minutes to make it to work. Can you believe that it takes me 30-40 minutes to make it to Arlington every morning and about 45 minutes to an hour in the evening? Only in the DC metropolitan area will it take you that long when you're only going about 8-10 miles.

So not only am I packing up an office but I'm also packing an apartment. That's right folks; Charlie (my dog) and I are moving. Have no fear we're just moving about 2 blocks to a nice house so Charlie will have a front yard and back yard to run around in.

With our offices moving back downtown and with me moving, it has given me a new found appreciation for living and working in the District, especially this weekend as I strolled Eastern Market running into neighbors and catching up with friends. This is also such a wonderful time of year. The Mystics are getting ready for another season, the Capitals are in the playoffs and the Nationals are playing. Oh and we can't forget that it’s almost summer which means hot weather.

For those fans that I know and those that I don’t, I hope to see all of you this summer at the Mystics games. I also wanted to give a special birthday shout-out to my fellow Aries, Crystal Hudson and Maria Giovannetti who are both celebrating birthdays this week.

Friday, April 11 - Sheila Johnson writes about the dawn of a new era.

What a week! Last July I purchased the magnificent Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, north of Tampa, Florida and one of the first things I declared when we signed the deal was that someday we would hold the WNBA draft here. Well, someday came sooner than I ever could have imagined, as this past Wednesday WNBA officials from all across the country descended upon Innisbrook for that very purpose.

It was so exciting that I kept looking around the whole time with a smile on my face. Everywhere I looked there was top caliber talent; on-court talent, coaching talent, front office talent, league and official talent. It was a festival of basketball professionals, doing what they do best.

As for the Mystics, I cannot tell you how amazing it was to watch the player we targeted get closer and closer to becoming ours. With each selection the five teams ahead of us made, our anticipation heightened. All the time we kept our fingers crossed and held our breaths. Then when our time came and we informed the officials of our selection, it was an incredible feeling when WNBA commissioner Donna Orender stepped to the podium and said, “With the sixth selection of the 2008 WNBA draft the Washington Mystics select Crystal Langhorne, University of Maryland.”

We all cheered and congratulated each other, and then we watched as Crystal, all 6’2” of her, bounded onto the stage to receive her congratulations. And what was most exciting was that it seemed the only person happier than our front office about the prospects of Crystal Langhorne playing in Washington was Crystal herself. She was so excited she literally started to cry tears of joy.

At that point, whatever uncertainty I had about whom to draft flew out the window. At that point I knew we had picked the perfect Mystic. She knew the area. She respected the fans. And more than anything else, she was excited to be playing here.

And trust me; we’re delighted to have her. Because with the drafting of Crystal Langhorne, the Washington Mystics immediately got bigger, stronger and far more athletic than we had been. And we got better, too – much, much better.

And Crystal wasn’t the only talent we netted in this year’s draft. Our basketball people think we really helped ourselves with our second and third round selections too. Lindsay Plumier is a 6’4” forward from UCLA, and Krystal Vaughn, a talented and aggressive forward from VCU, and both should help make our frontcourt a force to be reckoned with.

So what does the 2008 season hold for the Washington Mystics? We’re going to be one of the most improved teams in the WNBA. I’m absolutely certain of it. And how do I know that? Easy; because my Crystal ball told me so!

Today is April 10, the day after the 2008 WNBA Draft. I’m just back from Tampa, so I thought I would change form this week and provide some brief insight into our selections and the draft process.

Before I discuss each pick, however, I wanted to recognize the hard work and long hours logged by our talented basketball operations staff. This group, led by our general manager Linda Hargrove, worked tirelessly over the past few months to ensure we had information and insight on every player relevant to this year’s draft process. They have watched hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of game tape, toured more arenas than the Rolling Stones, and collected enough frequent flyer miles for all of us to vacation in Hawaii.

As a result of this work, I entered the draft yesterday with the belief we had a good selection strategy in place and that we would exit the process with quality players who can help improve our team. By the end of the day, I think my belief was a reality.

By now you know we selected Maryland’s Crystal Langhorne with our first pick, the sixth selection overall. While the pundits may question her size, no one can question her numbers and resume. She has thrived in what is arguably the nation’s toughest conference, has led her team to a national championship, and leaves Maryland as the school’s most decorated women’s basketball player of all time. If these aren’t enough reasons to rationalize this pick, consider this: In 2007, the Mystics were the worst shooting team in the WNBA. Crystal Langhorne leaves College Park as the only player in the history of the women’s college game to lead the nation in field goal percentage for three of her four collegiate years. Enough said.

With our second selection (20th overall), we were thrilled to pick UCLA forward Lindsey Pluimer. A 6-foot, 4-inch native of Lakewood, CA, Lindsey will bring another dimension to our team as a post player who can play facing the basket with range extending beyond the three-point arc. She averaged 15 points per game during her junior and senior seasons while grabbing a little more than six boards per contest. Lindsey also happens to be quite a student, having garnered Pac-10 All-Academic honors in 2006 and 2007 and was the Pac-10 Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year this past season.

We closed our draft by taking Virginia Commonwealth University forward Krystal Vaughn with our third pick (34th overall). Krystal, a six-foot, one-inch forward, becomes the first VCU player ever selected in the WNBA draft. She averaged over 15 points and six rebounds per game in the very competitive Colonial Athletic Association and garnered All-CAA Second Team honors in 2007.

Three picks…three quality forwards. Mystics head coach Tree Rollins always says you can never have too many “Bigs” and I agree. I was extremely happy with our selections and feel like we had a very productive day. We still have some work to do to get our team to where we want it to be by the time the season starts, but I like what I see on paper to this point. Only time will tell if the Mystics 2008 draft picks were wise ones, but I believe history will prove us right on these selections. I’m anxious to get the newest members of the Mystics family on the court for training camp, starting April 20…just 10 days from today.

Monday, April 7 - Eboni Tyler shares her thoughts on the upcoming draft.

Greetings Mystics Fans!

Part I

It is DJ MGS… Broadcasting Live and Direct from the Mystics Guest Services Booth. Calling all my Mystics fans. It is April and spring is in the building. One month closer to jump ball in the WNBA season. Below you will find my list on why I love this time of year.

It is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3

1 It’s March Madness

Women's basketball takes center stage. It has been great watching these young ladies rule the airways. One number 1 and one number 2 face off in Tampa, Florida to battle for the coveted crystal ball. Who will it be? Who will it be? Tennessee or Stanford? You tell me! Some of those awesome athletes will join us in the WNBA and they will become superstars overnight. And we are lucky enough to watch them play for another 5 months. As Tuesday night approaches, and the NCAA season will draw to a close. We look back with smile because these young ladies have taken this game to another level. IT’S BEEN AWESOME TO WATCH….

2 The WNBA is scheduled to host its draft on April 9th in Tampa, Florida

It looks to me that we will kick off with Candice Parker of The Lady Vols. This is the time we select the top collegiate and European athletes. It is possibly the deepest draft in history. It serves to supplement the 13 existing WNBA franchises and fortify the NEW WNBA Atlanta Dream. Come join the Mystics for the live viewing of the 2008 WNBA Draft at The GREENE TURTLE, 601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004 from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Get an insider’s look at what you can expect for the 2008 season. You’re encouraged to arrive at noon as the first round of the 2007 WNBA Draft will begin at 1:00 p.m. Plus, be on hand to participate in Mystics trivia and contests where you can win autographed merchandise. The Mystics have the sixth overall pick in the draft as well as a pick in the second and third rounds (20th and 34th overall). Can’t make it to the party? Be sure to follow the Draft live on ESPN2 beginning at 1pm. (The first round of the Draft will be televised on ESPN2. All three rounds of the draft will be broadcast on NBA TV, WNBA.com and ESPN.com.) Check out the draft prospects.

3 The curtain rises on the WNBA Season

We’re back! It has been a long time waiting. But the time is finally here to get back out there and get this party started. This is where the Best of the Best of Women's basketball athletes strut their stuff as they compete through the hazy days of summer. The Mystics tip–off on May 25th at Verizon Center against the Houston Comets. The WNBA expansion team in Atlanta gets ready to reach their Dream for the 2008 season. The ladies will stop to catch their breath in August to allow the Olympic Dream to occur. September hosts the beginning of the finale of the WNBA Playoffs. So for 5 months, women go 94/40 with the rock in hand. Showing the world you got to BELIEVE to BELONG.

GO MYSTICS!

Don’t miss out on an Exciting Season!!
Entertain Friends, Family, Clients and of course Yourself!!!
Mystics full season plans are currently on sale!
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROCKS!

- Eboni Tyler Mystics Guest Services (aka DJ MGS)

Friday, April 4 - Monique Currie shares her thoughts on the NCAA tournament and the upcoming Mystics season.

Finally I can start a legitimate countdown until I’m home! I’ve learned that if you start a countdown too soon it will pretty much drive you insane because it’s never ending. So this year I waited until I have about a month left to start counting down the days. Subconsciously though I’ve been counting down since I returned from Christmas “break,” but a thirty-day countdown is much more realistic than a five month one.

Our last regular season game is this Sunday, April 6th but the playoffs don’t start until the 16th! If it were up to me, we would start the playoffs right away and I’m sure a lot of the other Americans here share the same sentiment. We are currently in fourth place and we are hoping to keep that position. If you know anything about the Russian league you would know how tough the league is and to be in fourth place is a pretty good position. Unfortunately our team lost the Eurocup Championship yesterday to a team from Italy. They are a very good team and we dug ourselves too big of a hole during the first game losing by 20! It was a huge accomplishment to make it to the Championship but its just no fun going home with a plate instead of a cup. Our coach couldn’t have said it better after the game when he said he can’t fill a plate with Champagne!

March Madness is definitely the best time of the year and I have been lucky to see a lot of games over here on TV. Sadly they only show the men’s tournament games so I’ve had to follow the women online. Still, of course, the men’s tournament has been awesome! My favorite is watching the upsets. It was fun watching the guy from Davidson carry his team on his shoulders! Even better he had a familiar sounding name so I liked him even more. The men’s Final Four is going to be fun to watch. It’s nice to see more parity in the women’s games now. Before you could pretty much count on all number 1 seeds making it to the final four but now there are more teams competing to be number 1. Candice Wiggins has really been a leader for her team and watching her play against Maryland had me star struck! She is an amazing player and will help out whatever WNBA team (Minnesota) she joins. That was just my guess of where she will probably end up. Lindsey Harding at the one, Wiggins at the two and Seimone Augustus at the three would be a force to reckon with.

I’m excited to see who we will pick up in the draft. There are a lot of good players coming out this year and with the 6th pick we can still gain a player who can contribute right away. I know our staff has been working hard watching players all season and will make a great choice. I am ready to get back and get going with the Mystics. This time around I will have a full year with the team and I know that will help with getting into the groove of things. You may not know but joining a team during the season is very difficult for so many reasons but now I will have a fresh start and this will definitely help to find my place on the team. I know the Mystics fans are ready to get back downtown and into the Verizon center and especially those of you who have been there when it was the MCI center! One of the things that I love most about being a Mystic is the fan support! Year in and year out they keep coming back and we do appreciate the love! We have all been working hard during the off-season to give you a lot to cheer for! I’ll be seeing you all very soon. Thanks for reading!!

Best,

Mo

Thursday, April 3 - Greg Bibb checks in.

Happy April! It’s hard to believe, but at this time next week, we’ll have completed the 2008 draft and be just 10 days from the start of training camp! Here’s what’s on my mind this 3rd day of April, 2008.

Extreme Makeover…Cyber Edition

Be sure to log on to our site this afternoon, as we’ll be sporting a whole new look here in our little corner of cyberspace. WashingonMystics.com will re-launch today. Take a few minutes and check it out. We’re proud of our new online home and hope you enjoy all the upgrades and new features. Moreover, if you haven’t signed up for our new e-newsletter, “Mystics Messenger,” please do so. It’s full of information regarding the team, upcoming promotions, recent news, and more.

Mystikids

I mentioned our new kid’s club last week, but I wanted to post one more reminder because this is a great value for all of our younger fans. The package includes a ticket to a pair of 2008 Mystics games, an exclusive autograph session with the team, a picture with the team mascot, a monthly newsletter, and more. Even better, the cost to join the club is just $20. For more information, or to register, visit www.washingtonmystics.com.

Mystics Sell-A-Thon

On Friday, with a big assist from the Washington Capitals staff, we will be holding our first annual sell-a-thon. During this one-day event, we hope to sell several hundred season tickets. We are very excited about this opportunity and I wanted to thank our partners at the Capitals in advance for all of their help with this initiative. If you are thinking about purchasing Mystics season tickets, Friday is the day to do so as we will be including autographed Alex Ovechkin pictures, pucks and hockey sticks with our Mystics inventory. You can become part of the team by calling 1-877-DC-HOOP1.

Heading To Tampa

On Saturday, I will be heading to Tampa to join Sheila Johnson and our coaching staff for the NCAA Women’s Final Four and the 2008 WNBA Draft. I’m excited for both events, but I’m really looking forward to the draft because I’m confident we are going to acquire a player, or two, or three who will help us get better as a team. I’ll have a complete recap of the Final Four and the draft in next week’s blog.

Trading Spaces (Part One)

This past weekend, my family made the move from our temporary home in Pentagon City to our new permanent residence in Rossyln. While the journey did not take us outside of Arlington, and consisted of less than five total miles, the process was a complicated one to-say-the-least. The big move started on Saturday when we moved all of the belongings we had brought with us in October from the temporary apartment to our new condo. It was a busy day that started around 6am and ended late in the afternoon; however, it was nothing like Monday’s move…

Trading Spaces (Part Two)

After getting all of the stuff from Saturday’s move situated over the weekend, the big moving truck that brought all of our furniture and belongings from our Michigan home arrived on Monday morning. Here’s where things got really interesting. Some of our belongings came into the new condo, some were designated for storage here in Virginia, and even more went on a second truck that returned to Pennsylvania for storage at Tara’s dad’s house. Confused? Don’t feel bad, I was too and I participated in this craziness! In the end, we got everything unloaded and unpacked and as usual my wife did a great job of directing traffic and leading this challenging project. A big thanks to all the family members who provided a helping hand as well. This was move #8 for me in seven and a half years. Frequent moves are part of the job description when working in professional sports, but hopefully we can settle in here for a nice long stay.

Website of the Week

If you like to shop and you also like to give to important causes, this site is for you: igive.com. Here you can shop online at nearly 700 brand name stores. While doing so, a portion of each purchase will go to your favorite cause. Stores such as Gap, Best Buy, and The Home Depot participate and up to 26% of your purchase is donated. Thanks to The Washington Capitals’ Adam Porcelli for the recommendation. Check it out!

On April 21, 2008, the Washington Mystics staff and a featured Mystics player are looking forward to hosting an influencer event for Redwood Enterprises, LLC. This private party will be located and catered by Bullfeathers Restaurant and Bar located in Capitol Hill. Influencer parties are complete turnkey events that introduce new fans to the Mystics season ticket holder family. For these events we provide the following: invitations and guest list management; appearance by player and General Manager or Coach; catering including appetizers and beverages; complete event management including set up and clean up; highlight video to share with guests; team collateral and giveaways; post-event follow up with guests; and an exclusive gift for the host/hostess.

We look forward to a successful and fun event with Redwood Enterprises! If you are interested in an influencer party at your home or at a restaurant/bar, please contact your Washington Mystics account executive.

What I am also looking forward to is Greek Easter on April 27, 2008! Usually, Greek Easter falls one week after traditional Christian Easter, although, this year it falls one month after. Greek Easter is one of the biggest holidays celebrated by the Greeks. My family celebrates this holiday as though it’s the last day on Earth. Every year my uncle sacrifices a lamb and prepares it on what we call a spit (I will leave out details for the sake of readers ever wanting to eat lamb in the near future). As the lamb is roasting on the spit all day, we have all the delicious authentic Greek food you can imagine. The festivities also include an egg hunt that I am apparently too old for, egg fights with cooked and dyed eggs to see whose egg can break everyone else’s, followed by an intense game of poker and a Greek card game that is similar to gin rummy. I come from a big Greek family that is very loud and competitive and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Tuesday, April 1 - Linda Hargrove shares her excitement as the 2008 season gets closer.

Hey All ...

The coaches and I will be moving to Washington today. It is amazing to me that the off season is over, my time with my husband, kids and grandkids is put on hold again for several months and we begin our marathon days in preparation for the 2008 additions of the Mystics. This is always a very exciting, absolutely crazy time of the year. Tree, Jessie and Crystal will get in this afternoon and we will begin meeting immediately. We will watch two games tonight and start again early on the 2nd. We leave on the 3rd for Tampa and have the pre-draft camp on April 4th and 5th. Sheila Johnson will be the keynote speaker at an event sponsored by the NCAA in Tampa on April 6th, free agent camps, and interviews with potential draftees, networking and just general craziness is in store for several days in Tampa. The coaches and I will come back to DC on the 8th so we can really focus on strategy for the draft on April 9th. Sheila and Greg Bibb will stay at Innisbrook and make sure everything with the draft goes well at Sheila’s beautiful resort.

The games have been really memorable the past few days. Players have stepped up, giant killers, Louisville and Notre Dame, in the end just couldn’t get it done and many controversies will play themselves out over the next couple of nights. Which Big East team, Rutgers or UConn will emerge, Stanford and Maryland settled the dispute about seeds on the court and UNC was unable to get past LSU in their back yard. Tennessee looked vulnerable against Notre Dame so how will Gary Blair’s Texas A&M team defend the best player in America, Candace Parker. This will be a great Final Four and as we reflect on the 2008 NCAA season I think we will just understand how far our game has matured over the past five years.

THE JAYHAWKS ARE IN THE FINAL FOUR. I love watching this team play and am so happy for Bill Self. It is tough being known as the best coach to never make a Final Four. Well, that monkey is off his back and I just think it would be great to knock out the one about being the best coach to never win a championship all in the same season. Roy Williams was at Kansas for 15 years and never won the big one. His first year at Carolina got him his first championship. There will be many story lines to this game between Kansas and Carolina and to me there will not be any losers. I have loved the way Roy coaches ever since he came to Kansas with no head coaching experience and I’m one of the few Kansans who don’t hold it against him for going home to coach at North Carolina. But I am a Kansan through and through and would love to see the Jayhawks go all the way this year.

See you in the gym,

Linda

Monday, March 31 - Dana Simonelli shares the latest happenings in her world.

Hello Mystics Fans,

New Addition

Welcome to my second all-time blog entry. It has been quite entertaining to read the ramblings of my fellow co-workers. They have some good insights and fun stories to tell. With that I am going to dive right in and share some exciting news for my family which is that my sister is pregnant and will be having a baby boy. She is due at the end of July and I am super excited. She even recently asked me to be the child’s God mother which is always a nice honor. I accepted and of course I will look forward to the new found responsibility. Of course my entire family is really happy and excited. This will be my parent’s first grandchild, so I hope it will give them some new activities to engage in as well.

New Office

On the office front I happy that we will soon be making the move to the Verizon Center and settle in our new digs, except I am not sure how well the commute will go on 395N. I am anticipating it will take a least a ½ hour on the way in and God only knows how long on the way home. But nevertheless it will be nice to be in a brand new office space and close to the basketball environment. I am very thankful for Sheila Johnson’s contribution and support to make the new space happen. She is a very dedicated owner who really looks out for the betterment of the staff. I am also pleased to announce that we will have a new addition to the Ticket Sales staff with the hiring of Lauren Lafayette who will oversee ticket operations for the Mystics as our Ticket Operations Manager. Her first day will be Monday, April 7 and we look forward to her arrival.

New Brunch Spot

Going with the theme of “new”. I have been frequenting a special brunch spot in Shirlington called Busboys and Poets. Many of you have probably heard of the one on U Street in the District. The second one opened in downtown Shirlington months ago and I always heard about the brunch, but a month ago experienced it for the first time and I am hooked. You can usually find me there on a Sunday morning at the bar with an order of their egg wrap or French toast which are my picks. They also have bloody Marys served up the entire time, but I really do not care for that drink, but it looks interesting. I highly recommend checking out either location and a bonus is the free wi-fi!

Well thank you for reading my little corner of the world and I look forward to next time as we will be in our new offices and the season will be well underway. Remember to purchase your season tickets or at least come out for a couple games over the summer. It will be sure to please. Till next time!